Masterplan Rotterdam Central adjusted

The Municipality of Rotterdam have adjusted Masterplan Rotterdam Central, the new mobility center, resulting in savings of EUR 270 million.

With this adjustment Rotterdam meets the demands by the State, which though it liked the original plans as presented last November, but thought them too expensive. Rotterdam expects with these adjustements to have sufficient ground to come to financial agreement with the State.

Houses, shops and offices
The present Central Railway Station has aged and is too small to host todayÂ's daily travelers. Also the immediate surroundings encounters problems in terms of management and safety. The construction of the HST-South and Randstad Rail require a substantial renovation of the area. The State has requested Rotterdam to draft a Masterplan and formally branded Rotterdam Central as a so-called key-project.

Objective is to replace the existing railway station by a new terminal where the various traffic flows will meet with comfortable transfer systems. In the zoning area surrounding the railway station, space should be reserved for houses, offices, shops and other metropolitan services. This requires a substantial expansion of and a quality improvement of RotterdamÂ's inner city.

To the original plan some changes have been made, making the whole project some EUR 275 million cheaper. The changes do not interfere with the general concept. Adjustments have been made in train traffic and city public transport. In the urban development and zoning area no changes have been made. Priority is with the Terminal, the other issues will have to be dealt with in a later stage and will have to be upgraded if so required.

Rotterdam has chosen to give the highest priority to the Central Railway Station as the completion of HST South and Randstad Rail is expected by 2006. Construction on the HST South is full under way and next year construction on Randstad Rail will start.